Why Huitlacoche (Corn Smut) is So Expensive | So Expensive

Huitlacoche, also known as the "Mexican truffle," is an edible fungus that forms on undeveloped corn ears and sells for as much as $40 a pound. Discovered by the Aztecs, the bulbous fungus has been consumed in Mexico for centuries and has recently become an increasingly popular specialty ingredient around the world.
However, the US has dedicated significant time and money to keeping its cornfields free of what they call "corn smut" and "the devil's corn." Huitlacoche forms naturally during the rainy season, but farmers can also inject the fungus into their cornfields to harvest the valuable "black gold". So why has Huitlacoche become so popular and what exactly makes it so expensive?
00:00 - Intro
00:39 - Huitlacoche Flavor
01:35 - Cooking with Huitlacoche
02:26 - Meet the farmers
03:02 - Harvesting Huitlacoche
03:17 - How the fungus infects corn
04:10 - Huitlacoche shelf life
05:00 -Inoculating the corn
06:10 - Preventing Inoculation Liquid From Overheating
06:50 - Protective Gear in the Field
07:49 - Injecting Improperly
08:27 - Controlled Infection Rate vs. Natural Infection Rate
09:25 - Heading to the Market
10:40 - Huitlacoche in Fine Dining
11:12 - Price Doubling
11:44 - Monopolizing the Huitlacoche Market
12:13 - Huitlacoche Price Changes
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Why Huitlacoche (Corn Smut) is So Expensive | So Expensive | Business Insider

[@aierune8201]

I love how nature is like "Oh heres an infection for your crops!" and humanity is just like "aight bet lets cook it." Love it

[@wruenvadam]

Because nature has yet to catch up with the fact that we have been slowly moving from "Hey, that looks dangerous. Should stay away from it," to "That looks dangerous... Wonder what it tastes like?" It truly never ceases to amaze me what people will stick in their mouths to see if its edible.

[@sudstahgaming]

@@wruenvadam I stuck ya m0m in my mouth lol jk sorry i am 39 going on 10

[@thanhavictus]

If you think about it, it's basically mushroom farming that needs corn.

[@oldevilgreendog]

Well, when you have to chose between "starve to death" and "eat infected crops and just maybe die", you will invent new food or die trying.

[@Justthemow]

I’m pretty sure that’s bird poop that fermented the corn kernels

[@amorphous1964]

This is far more wholesome than what I envisioned when I imagined “corn smut”

[@Konpekikaminari]

I am glad to see I am not alone

[@kathrynmcmorrow7170]

Oh yeah corn cob junkies!

[@vladislavovod165]

This fungus that attacks corn is somewhat similar to the deadly toxic ergot.

[@theBeastcub]

I remember being confused as a kid because my parents were visiting somebody with a garden and there was one ear of corn with this growing on it and I thought it looked so strange and gross but the owner was really happy to have it, learned much later in life that it was something considered rare and delicious

[@WellSwole]

I wish to know if there are long term effects of eating an infectious fungus. This may have side effects if it is an antibiotic as it would prove yet another source of medical treatment useless, but if it isn't an antibiotic and grows well, it may bring nutritional value to the corn. Corn itself taste good, but is a filler. It is more useful to use regular corn as a sugar or as a fuel for machines.

[@joseph1150]

@@WellSwole You are completely wrong about using corn as fuel or sugar being better, and about corn being a filler. Corn is healtier than white rice and comprable to brown rice. You need to process it a bit to avoid Pallegra, but it's not difficult.

[@dewdodu]

@@WellSwole We know the long term effects of eating infectious fungus because every fungus is infectious. Everything from beer, soy sauce, cheese, vinegar, medicine, to drugs, and while we are unfamiliar with this it was consumed by the Aztec. Mushroom that are safe to eat is a great source of lean vegan protein, I challenge myself for lent on cutting out meat and a great deal of it was eating the vast variety of fungus with some being dead ringers like chicken, lobster, or shrimp. I also learn its one of the few non-meat sources of bio-available B-12 vitamins and food source of Vitamin D. Of course mushroom are also known to kill you in horrifying ways.

[@rosehirstius]

​@@WellSwoleif you're fine eating blue cheeses, this probably won't be an issue either! Corn is also a staple grain crop, like rye, barley, and rice. It shouldn't be written off as garbage, it's been sustaining life for centuries!

[@nadiahassan5307]

“A lot of the people say it’s the food of the gods but I don’t know any gods” Best line ever in a story about corn fungus 😂

[@nandinhocunha440]

They also say alcohol is gods nector

[@J.S.I-]

Allah . Self sufficient Master. Free of any Need. He does not need eat or drink , sleep or rest. Discover Islam and Learn about qualities and attributes of your Creator. May Allah guide you.

[@nandinhocunha440]

@@J.S.I- dude just no

[@danaa-]

​@@J.S.I-muslim brother, not now.

[@susanperrier8046]

I saw lots of this growing in a cornfield in France during a particularly damp summer. My in-laws thought I was crazy to pick some and serve it sauteed on tortillas but the whole family agreed (after a cautious taste) that it was not only edible but delicious. It's important to harvest it when it is still firm and a light blue color.

[@quentinalb.3479]

Oui le charbon du maïs est assez commun, mais je n'aurais jamais imaginé que le puisse le consommer 😅

[@erzsebetkovacs2527]

But is it the same species?

[@Nainara32]

I never heard of this before. Maybe I'll eat it in a fancy restaurant some day.

[@kolapso3687]

Ça à l'air parfaitement dégueulasse à première vu lol. Mais ça m'a donné envie de gouter!

[@igorjee]

@@erzsebetkovacs2527 Igen. Én a gangon próbáltam termeszteni, sajnos sikertelenül. Majd ha egyszer lesz egy kertem...

[@CBlargh]

They missed the most important part! Huitlacoche makes the corn more nutritionally complete. There was a recent study that suggests that only through transforming the corn with the funghus could Native agriculture have supported the vast numbers of people we know it supported. It's similar to the way in which leafcutter ants transform leaf litter to more nutritious food using funghus.

[@ImpetuousPorkus]

What’s also really cool is that pesticides have to stop being sprayed by other farms for the fungus to grow as well! Forcing farmers to grow an organic product.

[@bobloblaw9679]

using lime with the corn also unlocks nutrients..... people figure out what to do to survive

[@CBlargh]

@@bobloblaw9679 Limes are a critical source of vitamin C for many people! I wouldn't doubt that pre-Columbian Natives did have access to similar fruits, but they didn't have access to what we would call a lime. Citruses originated in the old world.

[@CBlargh]

@@randyrodriguez2492 I should have bookmarked it. I can't find it now. I may have heard it in a Science Friday re-run. These are the resources I found. It seems to increase the amount of lysine... "A Hideous Fungus, A Nutritious Snack", Chris Benjamin, February 18, 2015, Science Friday, NPR... "Nutrition, safety, market status quo appraisal of emerging functional food corn smut (huitlacoche)", Seema Patel, 2016, "Trends in Food Science & Technology"

[@hashkangaroo]

@CBlargh Lime, as in _limestone dissolved in water._

[@dillydilly7693]

Some of my corn developed this. I looked up a recipe online and fixed it. It was delicious!

[@simplyandrandomlysane8208]

We threw ours away... We had never seen something like that before and it scared us.

[@thatsawesome2060]

​@@simplyandrandomlysane8208it's look terrible, but the more expensive than the corn.

[@stawbury7413]

@@simplyandrandomlysane8208typical western human

[@muddyhotdog4103]

@@stawbury7413 when in doubt, throw it out.. may be typical of some, but it's a smarter outlook tbf

[@muddyhotdog4103]

@@stawbury7413 In terms of food -when in doubt, throw it out.. May be typical of some, but it's a smarter outlook tbf. Tho I'm sure you were playing

[@a-ramenartist9734]

I had a huitlacoche quesadilla once and it was the first mushroom I ever liked. Now I love mushrooms, muchas gracias huitlacoche!

[@melindawolfUS]

Nutritionally, corn is very difficult to digest. If it's used as the primary food source for a long period of time, it can lead to malnutrition diseases if it's not treated to make certain vitamins more available for digestion. But Huitlacoche actually converts many of the starches in corn into highly beneficial amino acids! I like seeing it's rise in popularity especially because our food in the US is typically very nutritionally poor. Our veggies have been bred for long shelf-lives and NOT for nutritional benefit. I haven't found fresh Huitlacoche where I'm at in a small town in Utah, but I'll be excited to try it on my next trip to California

[@johnnywapstra9973]

I remember watching a Michael Mosley program about how humans need 11 proteins to survive, but only 9 are available through vegetables, with the last 2 being available through animal sources (= mushrooms), and it showed this Mexican delicacy...

[@Demopans5990]

Probably like a lot of mushrooms in taste.

[@Auani_00]

This was solved long ago through the process of nixtamalization first developed in Mesoamerica. Masa is a staple for various dishes and rich in niancin. The process was not brought over to Europe leading to outbreaks of pellagra.

[@giovannirojas3952]

Corn has been eaten in the America's for damn near a millennia with no issues. Wtf are you talking about?

[@melindawolfUS]

@@giovannirojas3952 If you wanted more info you could have easily Googled it or asked nicely. But instead you showed revealed yourself as being without basic manners. Your comment is worthless to this conversation.

[@ggximenez]

Mexico is full of unique flavors. I never imagined that a infected corn cob would be a delicacy. I would definitely try.

[@janemyfoodandflowers7726]

The texture and flavor is between mushroom and omelet, if you are wondering. I grow sweet corn few years with a layer of mulch and this corn smut happened so I tried.

[@Den99973]

Gave me a full day of diarrhea for being adventurous. 😅

[@johnb7046]

Seek it out, it's absolutely delicious!

[@kimkim-mh7bv]

They don't have anything to eat so they do so. You guys are nap going to eat like that😂🎉

[@moguel1524]

​@@kimkim-mh7bvdid you just didn't watch the video at all?

[@iancr8199]

I'm glad it is way more affordable over here 🇲🇽 It's a versatile, tasty ingredient for many local dishes. You should really try it-preferably not in a luxurious way, though, but in one of our many traditional dishes, like a quesadilla. 👌🏼

[@seyer-leinadodnavo4250]

When I was 4 years old my parents showed me how to find this huitlacoche and I have to say this is a delicacy that it’s been in a Mayan and Aztecs diet for millennial.

[@victorlinares4137]

So your experience backs up a historical fact or are you just rambling?

[@chipsammich2078]

​@@victorlinares4137 Are you making some kind of knowledgeable statement or just being an a$$hole? Hard to tell

[@samuraiboi2735]

​@@victorlinares4137hows that rambling? He just said his story from his younger days

[@chingizzhylkybayev8575]

​@@samuraiboi2735it's just that his sentence is not properly structured so it's hard to tell

[@samuraiboi2735]

@@chingizzhylkybayev8575 i mean not all speak english as a first language i just dont think speaking historical facts or his childhood is rambling his parents may had said this had been the food his ancestors ate or something idk his parents but thats what he may try to imply

[@poorwotan]

One of the most delicious things I've eaten in my life. Learned about it years ago while on a pre-cruise stay in Acapulco and never looked back. I now actively look for it when I go to Mexican restaurants!

[@Freebyrd1991]

Well that was interesting. I love seeing people make an honest living straight from mother nature. As much as $40 a pound is awesome. I wish the farmers and everyone pictured a great season 🙏

[@YummyLADanish]

This stuff is delicious! I first tried it from a street vendor in LA who was serving it in a quesadilla made with handmade tortillas. Subtle and sweet doesn't even cover the flavor. Just really really good.

[@ironhell813]

Hefner would be proud.

[@august1875]

You people would even eat shit if it tasted good

[@danschneider9921]

There are a lot of funguses growing in LA

[@MsMorganThorne]

I first tried this in DF about 10 years ago and LOVED it! I had no idea what it was when I tried it. The lady selling the quesadillas thought it was pretty funny to tell me what it was after I ate it and liked it. I guess a lot of gringos found it distasteful, I just ordered another one :) I highly recommend finding local street vendors who look popular when travelling and asking what's good - you might find something delicious.

[@lilliewilliams3331]

Gringo is a racist derogatory term that racist Mexicans use to describe white people. It is like the "n" word. This is hate speech and should not be tolerated.

[@idali6144]

Las quesadillas de huitlacoche con queso y de quelite con papa, así como tlacoyos de frijol y haba con nopales, son mi desayuno preferido en los mercados de la CDMX. Consuman sano y local.

[@OddWoz]

I’d try it for sure. It all sounds fantastic to me and has to be a wonderful value for small Mexican farmers. I hope this continues to trend upward and Mexico can hold on to it as a strong cultural export. The potential to help small farmers just seems immense, as long as production is not allowed to be taken over by large corporations.

[@CBlargh]

It's pretty good! It tastes to me a little like meat.

[@Burnt-Bronze_1]

Why would you want to do this. All your life. You never thought about. Until someone changed the narratives and now. It’s IT FACTOR. so now you want to try it.

[@ausername7470]

The cartel won't let that happen without bloodshed and slavery.

[@hectorf.1798]

​@@ausername7470STFU, you don't even know what you're talking about

[@EnglishApache26]

Let’s be honest, A LOT of what we eat was someone somewhere seeing something and was like “Hmm….I wonder if I can eat this?”

[@Susweca5569]

My sincere gratitude to all the brave human beings that came before me who tried all the unknown things and found out which did and didn't work for our well being. An extra special thanks to the poir souls who were willing to try it and failed so no one else would try it again.

[@sakurashogun]

I still marvel at the brave souls that figured out how to eat almonds. Raw almonds are filled with cyanide and only through heat like roasting them does it get deactivated. You can't legally buy raw almonds in the US because of this, and any that are labeled as raw are in fact not raw at all XD

[@zenmaster8826]

@@sakurashogun Must have been a trip as well.. to see which mushrooms are edible..🤣🤣

[@sakurashogun]

@@zenmaster8826 Acorns are another good example. They are filled with a lot of alkaloid compounds which are a no no, but the native americans figured out that the alkaloids in acorns are water soluble. So acorn flour is made by drying the acorns, grinding them into a flour, then taking them to a river and repeatedly soaking it in the water and letting it leech out and be carried away. That is a lot of steps. A lot of steps someone had to figure out, and it all started with, 'huh that squirrel eats em' so maybe I can too.' Btw acorn pancakes are delish. XD

[@rivaa.5419]

⁠@@sakurashogun once apon a time, when I was way younger I heard acorns were edible and found one on a roadside and ate it without doing anything else.

[@Alenoir88]

It used to make me very happy to go to the country side with my parents during the corn harvest season looking for this fungus. I used to pass the time with my mom gathering some of it. I miss those days. I love you, mom ❤.

[@emmakikundwa885]

It also grows on sorghum. We used to eat it when i was young in the 80s. Mostly harvested from sorghum in bakiga culture in Uganda. We call it engulirwa. We steam it and add salt.

[@JcoleMc]

Is Sorghum still cultivated in Uganda ?

[@emmakikundwa885]

@@JcoleMc yes in the south western of the country. It is used in indigenous beverages alcoholic and non alcoholic.

[@melodyparra2960]

This is just like the quinoa episode. Quinoa was a beloved food, staple for a lot of people in one culture then what happened was someone else from a far away culture comes and sees all this benefits and takes up so much of it it’s blocks and keep the original people who have been using it as a food staple for years out

[@GENERALWACKASS]

Can’t wait for Bat Shit Penicillin soup on my table

[@WhuDhat]

or the fermented spit "beer"

[@realgrilledsushi]

As long as they get profit. It’s okay.

[@reidleblanc3140]

aint our fault that shit is good. if countries are concerned the international market will take too much food from their own people they can put sanctions in place.

[@pjacobsen1000]

Can't they just grow more quinoa?

[@hanspecans]

The first time I tried this I couldn’t believe how good it was.

[@empirex334]

I had this at a mexican restaurant once. They called it corn mushroom. I love mushroom anything, so i ordered it. It literally tastes like a kernel of corn had a baby with a mushroom. It was delicious.

[@Susweca5569]

I've always wondered who the first person was to see something like that and say, "Yeah, I'm going to eat that gross looking corn smut, and hey, it's delicious!"

[@kentneumann5209]

A starving one.

[@needmoreramsay]

I grew 7 corn stalks in my small garden and got ONE cob that went smut. The other 8-9 were normal and various sizes from baby to normal.

[@mfburns7909]

I would love to be able to have a Huitlacoche Quesadilla. I think I would love Huitlacoche

[@pjacobsen1000]

Fascinating! I have never tried this, and didn't even know of its existence.

[@erikadlloyd5586]

I know, right? now I'm curious and I have to try it😅

[@ironhell813]

Rule 34 I suppose…

[@donacianofuentes7817]

Aqui en México se siembra diferentes tipo de maiz organico , algo que las empresas como monsato quiere desaparecer , pero el maiz siempre da el huitlacoche algo que aprecian mucho en la gastronomía de México

[@tintansigloXXI]

Me sorprendió lo perfecto que dijo huitlacoche

[@needmoreramsay]

Farmers: "DANG IT !!! My crops are HEALTHY !!"😢

[@TreySinatra]

As a mexican who was born in Baja California and lived in California my whole life I have never tried Huitlacoche, it looks so good and can't wait to try it. Hopefully they sell it somewhere here in LA!

[@yuusucc996]

Nobody asked for your life story

[@anbar1179]

The Guelaguetza restaurant used to make a quesadilla with huitlacoche. They may still make it. It's in L.A.

[@pie4889]

Best mole place, too!😂

[@B.Mega.D]

The first part of your sentence makes NO SENSE...wtf?

[@johnb7046]

@@B.Mega.D Baja California is in Mexico genius

[@curlyhairdudeify]

Huitlacoche only infects unpollinated, and damaged corn? Yet it was a problem for American farmers in the USA.... What a considerate fungus. Creating food out of barren corn. And yes, huitlacoche quesadillas ARE a delicacy. I went to Mexico, and the quesadilla lady wouldn't sell to me the last huitlacoche serving (quesadilla) because it was for her. I settled for a regular champignon quesadilla with beef trippe.

[@cosmicgirl7288]

I grew up on this! It’s delicious 🤤❤ 🇲🇽 my favorite dish with cheese and fresh tortillas. My grandma would make it for me!.

[@codysaunders7348]

It grows naturally on my corn, even way up here in Canada. I'm a mushroom cultivator by trade and it seems to me they've overcomplicated the inoculation procedure, or at least their supplier has. Simply wait for the mature kernals to burst with black spores, collect the spores, place into a nutrient less solution, and inject. Should be no issue with temperatures. Ill test it out for myself and find out

[@jeffarcher400]

Maybe try to establish mycelium in the soil and it would become a permanent biomass interwoven with the corn roots. We could be missing something important. This could enrich the soil. Perhaps it's how the ancient civilizations created the black soil that doesn't need fertilizers.

[@codysaunders7348]

@@jeffarcher400 it won't grow in the soil, its dependent on the reproductive cycle of the corn. It's not a mycorrhizal species, so it won't grow in association with roots - unfortunately. Just a simple fungal pathogen that turned out to be a great edible

[@grapefruitsyrup8185]

Wow and I thought farmers didn't need education, but u guys seems like research chemist lol.

[@codysaunders7348]

@@grapefruitsyrup8185 A LOT of variables to account for when your a simple farmer 😉

[@EricM-gm5wz]

“I’ll test it to find out “ but let me criticize their inoculation process assuming my process is less complicated when they’ve been growing and inoculating the crop for hundreds of years . “Should be no issues with temperature” but literally does better in hot dry weather😂

[@johnjoe69]

I used to eat this regularly for decades. Still one of my favorites.

[@johnnywapstra9973]

I used to grow heirloom corn, and year after year it would get infected until I've now given up. Now you teach me it's a delicacy. I'm completely humiliated through my ignorance. Colonial arrogance damages our existence...😢

[@MoreEvilThanYahweh]

It's a great silver lining, but at the end of the day people who want actual corn still get shafted by this fungus

[@sunwukonggoku]

It tastes really good with the right ingredients

[@lilliewilliams3331]

Colonial ignorance? Colonial arrogance? Self hatred because you did not know something about corn? You are walking around with a "kick me" sign on your back aren't you?

[@kissit012]

@@MoreEvilThanYahwehshafted is a weird term for something more nutritious and easily digested than corn.

[@kissit012]

@@lilliewilliams3331not a single person with functioning brain cells should be proud of colonial history. The world has not been better off since then and we have spent generations recovering from the damages and loss of culture, science, historical truths, rights, and resources

[@cinemaipswich4636]

Ergot on wheat turned out to be interesting too. It became popular in the psychedelic 1960's.

[@Demopans5990]

Or that rye fungus that was basically LSD

[@seifeir6951]

@@Demopans5990that is another variety of ergot

[@BinaryBlueBull]

@@Demopans5990 That's what cinemaipswich4636 was saying. Ergot is that fungus, though to make it into LSD you need a very, very complicated chemical process. There are many different kinds of ergot, but the one used for LSD is, among others, claviceps purpurea which indeed grows on rye, wheat and some other plants

[@johnb7046]

This is suspected in the Salem witch trials and other like historical events

[@justinblin]

Kinda sad the business insider channel logo changed, I quite liked the old one

[@PotooBurd]

This is so informative! Great job, fantastic reporting!🌻🌼🐝 Keep it up 🙌

[@victor17m]

I just tried a few weeks ago for the first time in houston and it was very delicious 😋

[@cavemanbadbones1568]

Let's hope these fine people are getting paid alot more for breaking their backs picking these corns ears. Usually they don't and are treated like animals. Blessings be upon these hard working good people.

[@CesarAnton]

Ohh it's soooo good... Huitlacoche tacos is a Mexico City classic

[@IronBridge1781]

I wonder if, in an alternate universe, sentient corn is infecting fields of humans with a “Last of Us” style cordyceps fungus…

[@eklectiktoni]

lol

[@luchirimoya]

Okay but can we appreciate the narrator's pronunciation whenever she had to pronounce Spanish words and names? She did amazingly

[@angelavila9452]

Love huitlacoche ive only had it a handful of times

[@northamericanintercontinen3207]

Y’all got no idea how good huitlacoche is I’ve prepared it as base for a fillet mignon sauce as duxelles for beef Wellington and ofc in quesadillas and pizza

[@FimbongBass]

Heard so much about this for so long, defiantly want to try it but have yet to

[@Eleora1997Msia]

Mushroom Pop Corn ... sounds interesting and worth it to try

[@angeldreamzzz9692]

ITS FIRE 🔥 🔥

[@williambond913]

Exactly how lobster was rediscovered as a delicacy we use to think of it as a pest and would only feed it to the peasants and as soon as the more fortunate see less fortunate enjoying something they must try to buy and collect all of the happiness they have lost along the way back by making it theirs

[@fvrrljr]

Huitlacoche is a favorite dish whenever i can indulge with this delicacy 😋😋😋

[@chansaechao79]

I love mushrooms so I need to find this somewhere nearby so I can try it.

[@thegoodlookinorange1986]

Sad it’s a dying culture for the small farmers. I want a quesadilla. Looks 🔥.👍

[@user-wj7fh8ee1d]

IN MEXICO PEOPLE HAVE BEEN EATING HUITLACOCHE FOR CENTURY'S THE HUITLACOCHE TACOS ARE REAL GOOD !!!

[@sophroniel]

I mean yeah, if you're trying (and needing) to grow corn as a staple crop and it's all turning to fungus that is an issue, because it can be eaten, sure, but only fresh, whereas maize is mostly dried, ground to different fineness to make flour, meal etc as a staple product for use in so many foods throughout the year. It's just like you can't sustain yourself on-or store for any length of time greater than a week or two-something like truffles. They might be a delicious delicacy but if your crop of wheat turns into mushrooms you'd be understandably p¡ssed off. But if the odd ear turns, why not make the best of it and eat the delicious huitlacoche? That makes perfect sense and is economically minded! But you'd still be distressed if your entire crop that you use to sustain your family through the winter turns into huitlacoche.

[@gustavotuler9508]

La boda del Huytlacoche 🔊🔊🔊

[@the_meccaneer]

I love this stuff.

[@whathappened2230]

Gonna try it if I can find it!

[@mrjason9382]

Thanks for sharing

[@aroundandround]

Who is this narrator? She can talk about anything and the soothing voice and lovely accent alone are engaging enough.

[@Erickchicas]

I'm a fan of huitlacoche.

[@omacjames1969]

This is education for me wow,!

[@invisi-bullexploration2374]

'smut' is such a fun word to say!

[@Jimmyxsx]

Its delicious I’ve tried in a quesadilla when I traveled to Cabo San Lucas Mex.

[@joshyoung1440]

9:07 "Fresh huitlacoche is still the most popular choice, since that's what most people prefer." Yes thank you for this definition of the word "popular"

[@TheJoungRed]

Everytime i go out to eat quesadillas with my girlfriend, I always eat a quesadilla de huitlacoche first and then a quesadilla de flor de calabaza (pumpkin flower quesadilla). The absolute best to start. I find the bitter taste of huitlacoche quite tasty.

[@johnb7046]

Squash blossoms is another word for flor de calabaza. And those two you mentioned are two of my favorites. Perfect meal right there!

[@JLVera]

jezz the secret is out!! this is one of the true mexican delicatess

[@firstnameiskowitz8493]

Two slang words for... that! Well done!

[@CleopatraPhilopator]

La neta sí está bien bueno, a mi me encantan las quesadillas con huitlacoche 👌

[@ruelseenagoal3630]

I plan to Plant this kind of Corn Smut

[@geophrie8272]

A family friend used to grow this stuff and it's SOOOO good

[@Lonesome__Dove]

I've got to try this asap

[@foxfarmnutes]

Very good tasting fungi inffected corn

[@fredlal]

I won t touch this with a 10 meter pole this look like the start of a zombie Apocalypse corn

[@jaxx9204]

So good actually

[@RogersTM87]

I'd actually like to try this.. I've never seen this before!

[@Touyube8811]

Did anyone else read about huitlacoche in "Any Small Goodness"? I've been fascinated ever since!

[@wokeness420]

I have never heard of this, but I would like to try it.

[@DavidFarmUS]

What is this dish, can it be eaten?

[@menkros1]

Amazing

[@heyyou381]

I grow huitlacoche every year in my backyard garden but I don’t need to inject it with any type of fungus nor do I beat the corn to give it holes or damage it. I do this to half of the corn I grow which is about 24 stalks and I get a good amount of it too. I also store it in the fridge until my wife is ready to prepare it and nothing happens to it. I guess I’m one of the blessed ones. To be honest, it tastes really good if you like mushroom/corn taste. My wife loves it but it was an acquired taste for me. Now I can’t wait until spring time comes so I could plant my corn seeds and get my huitlacoche.

[@eklectiktoni]

So glad to see a piece on corn smut, aka Mexican truffle!

[@josejosefino7361]

This fungus has made to many renowned and popular songs too.

[@vanillasmerk5742]

I do love sweet. I wanna try now.

[@May-bm1hb]

My mom had a quesadilla stand in México City. Just hutlachoche with apazotle is a delicacy.

[@andrewzwaniga2016]

Being a scientist, I’m always happy to see when science makes a positive impact on a cultural phenomenon like this. Also I’m always interested to learn about new innovations in the world of fungi, there is so much that I don’t know about it.

[@galacticwarlock2271]

This stuff is so good. I love it. What is funny is it was considered trash and now it's $40 a lb.

[@peureda]

Not everyone is as talented to write corn smut, hence its rareity and price tag

[@ironhell813]

Must be European import then, stuff in America is dirt cheap.

[@peureda]

@@ironhell813 I'm thinking it's an asian import

[@nourishedmedia]

The truffle of Mexico...or France's Huiltachoche. Still dreaming of my quesadilla con flor de calabaza y huiltacoche (Quesadillo with Squash Blossoms and Huiltacoche) in Tulum. 🤤🌽

[@keillorchristoph]

Will this stuff grow in Montana? Here we don't have a large agricultural system devoted to Corn so I don't have to worry about it accidentally spreading but will it grow on corn here in Montana

[@davidy22]

Opening of the video has plenty of names american farmers gave it, it grows just fine in america

[@keillorchristoph]

@@davidy22 yes Montana is in America are growing season is kind of short and a little wonky will this stuff grow in zone 3 or is it just in corn it will grow so if corn grows this stuff will grow

[@davidy22]

@@keillorchristoph It's hard to get it to not grow on corn, but american farmers will usually treat it as ruined crop and throw it out because they won't be watching the corn regularly enough to catch the harvest window for infected corn

[@jerrylou9285]

It makes me wish to eat it when visiting Mexico.

[@lemonmarmalade4242]

my family used to grow corn every year in a small patch compared to the rest of the farm and we would get these alot to the point we couldnt sell most of our corn to farmers markets and had to give it to a pig we had. people in california arent too fond of weird looking black corn growths so we stopped growing it and focused more on zucchini and tomatoes because we could sell that and often times people enjoyed zucchini when it cross pollinated because it resulted in cool color patterns

[@tylerwestover234]

Thanks for showing us your trade secret. We can grow it in USA now. 😂

[@KarlaEnriquezfire]

En México tenemos unas de las mejores variedades culinarias del mundo, que orgullo!!! I love Huitlacoche❤❤❤❤❤

[@tigwhite883]

I have eaten huitlacoche only once , I was on a trip and we found an old lady selling it beside the road in the middle of nowhere in the jungle she was making tortillas from scratch and cooking using wood it was kinda of good.

[@ilianacedillo3889]

It's so delicious !!!🤤🤤

[@matthewwagner47]

Remember seeing this in corn many years ago but don't see it much anymore.

[@gracelight216]

That's a lot of work 😮

[@MrBigPipesYT]

Interesting. I'm imagining a flavor similar to popcorn with the texture of crisp cauliflower.